Recoil device for field-guns.



. G.PALTER.

30011; DEVICE FOR FIELD GUNS, APPLIOATION" FILED APR. 4, 1910.

985,334. .PatentedFeb; 28,1911.

l v if I & HM '*1 cf X i l (f W iijzegfe' 1327272301 THE NORRIS pzrsns cm, WASHINGTON. u. c,

GEORG FALTER, OF LIMPERICH-ON-THE-RHINE, GERMANY.

RECOIL DEVICE FOR FIELD-GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,406.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnone FALTER, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing at Limperich-on-the-Rhine, in the Empire of Germany, have invented a new and useful Recoil Device for Field-Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a recoil device for field-guns, which permits the wheels of the gun carriage to roll on the soil during the transport of the gun and to be coupled with the stationary axle when the gun is used, so that on firing the gun the wheels during the recoil of the carriage can roll back while straining springs inserted between them and the axle, so that the strain of the compressed springs will again rollthe wheels forward and thus return the gun to its initial position. v

I will now proceed to describe my inven tion with reference to the accompanying drawings, in \vhich Figure 1 1s a vertical transverse section through one of the wheels and the recoil device therewith connected, a part of the axle being shown in elevation and the gun carriage omitted, Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the axle and shows the wheel with its spring-casing in elevation, the spring being indicated by dotted lines, and the hand-wheel shown at Fig. 1 being omitted, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the wheel and its spring-casing alone. p

Similar letters of refernce refer to simi lar parts throughout the several views.

w denotes an axle, which in any known manner is prevented by a gun-carriage (not shown) from turning. The axle 10 is shown to be provided for each wheel with a screwthread i, a square head and a pivot Z, a denotes one of the wheels, which is shown to have a square nave m and an inner cylindrical rim n, which latter may be connected with the outer rim by radial ribs 0. The nave m is adapted to turn on the pivot Z and is in any known manner prevented from endwise motion. A cylindrical springcasing b is introduced into the cavity formed by the inner rim n of the wheel a and has a square hole fitting the square nave m, so that in this manner the casing Z) is prevented from turning within the wheel a. A ring 0 having a square hole is in any known manner secured on the nave m for. preventing the spring-casing b from endwise motion.

The spring-casing 7) is shown to be castin one with a concentric inner rib 6 extending over a little more than half the periphery, also with a rib Z2 connecting one end of the concentric rib b with the outer rim, and at last with a stop at the free end of the rib bflwhich stop 6 projects toward the ring 0. The casing Z) is closed with a cover (Z, which is mounted to turn on a reduced part 0 of the ring 0 and also on the edge of the outer rim of the casing Z). The cover (Z is provided on its inside with two lugs f and f and on its outside with a concentric projection 79. Vhen the cover cl is so turned in the direction of the hands of a watch in Fig. 2, that its lug f strikes the stop 6 its other lug f closes a bent channel formed between the outer rim of the casing Z2, its concentric rib b and its rib Z2 Into this bent channel a suitable helical spring h is introduced, preferably in a strained state, so that it bears with one end against the rib Z1 and with its other end against the lug f, so that thereby the lug f is pressed against the stop 6 The concentric projection 72 on the cover (Z is made polygonal on its inside, so that it forms one member of a clutch, the other member of which is denoted by 6. This member 6 has a square central hole and fits on the square head is of the axle a, so that it is'permitted to longitudinally move thereon. A hand-wheel 9 serving as a nut on the screw-thread 2' of the axle w is in any known manner adapted to engage in a groove 0 provided in the nave of the member 0. Of course the other wheel (not shown) at the other end of the axle a is with its recoil device constructed the same as the wheel a, only that. it is lefthanded, while the latter is right-handed.

The recoil device operates as follows: For the transport of the field-gun the two members e are by their hand wheels g withdrawn, so that they do not engage the other members p and consequently the two wheels a are permitted to roll on the soil forward or backward. After the field-gun has been moved to the desired place from which it is to fire, the two wheels 9 are turned in the respective direction for coupling the members 6 with the other members 29 of the clutches, the two wheels a being, if necessary, slightly turned, until the members 0 can engage in the cavities of the other members 77. Then the field-gun will be prevented from shifting, since the two bent helical springs h by their tension prevent the wheels (4 from turning. \Vhen the gun is fired, so that it sends its projectile forward in the direction from the right to the left in Fig. 2, its carriage and therewith the stationary axle to will recoil in the direction from the left to the right, so that the two wheels a are compelled to roll on the soil in the direction of the arrow 1. As, however, the axle w and thereby the two members 0 and 7) of each clutch and the two disks (Z are prevented from turning, the consequence will be, that the two wheels (4 will by their spring-casings b and the ribs 6 compress the two helical springs h and thus further strain them. hen the strain of the two helical springs 7L attains its maximum, the momentum of the gun and its carriage will be annihilated, whereupon the strained springs 72, will turn the wheels a back in a direction opposite to the arrow 9, so thatthe carriage will move forward and return the gun to its initial position, in which it can be charged and again fired.

I claim:

1. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning, of a wheel turnable 011 said axle, a disk turnable on said wheel, a spring inserted between said wheel and said disk and adapted to take up the recoil, means limiting the turn of said disk under the action of said spring, and means to couple and uncouple said disk and said axle.

2. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning, of a wheel turnable on said axle and having a concentric channel closed at one end, a disk turnable on said wheel and adapted to cover its channel and provided with a lug engaging therein, a helical spring in the channel of said wheel and adapted to take up the recoil, it bearing with one end against the end of the channel and with the other end against the lug of said disk, means limiting the turn of said disk under the action of said spring, and means to couple and uncouple said disk and said axle.

3. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning, of a wheel turn-able on said axle, a disk turnable on said wheel. a spring inserted'between said wheel and said disk and adapted to take up the recoil. means limiting the turn of said disk under the action of said spring, a clutch member fast on said disk, another clutch member longitudinally movable on said axle and pre- 1 vented from turmng, and means to couple and uncouple said two clutch members.

l i i I l i I I I 4. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning and having a screwthread, of a wheel turnable on said axle, a disk turnable on said wheel, a spring inserted between said wheel and said disk and adapted to take up the recoil, means limiting the turn of said disk under the action of said spring, a clutch member fast on said disk, another clutch member longitudinally movable on said axle and prevented from turning, and a hand-wheel engaging the screw-thread of said axle and adapted to move said second clutch member into and out of engagement with said first clutch member.

5. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning, of a wheel turnable onsaid axle and having a concentric channel closed at one end, a diskturnable on said wheel and adapted to cover its channel and provided with a lug engaging therein, a helical spring in the channel of said wheel and adapted to take up the recoil. it bearing with one end against the end of the channel and with-the other end against the lug of said disk, means limiting the turn of said disk under the action of said spring, a clutch member fast on said disk, another clutch member longitudinally movable on said axle and prevented from turning, and means to couple and uncouple said two clutch members.

6. In a recoil device for field-guns, the combination with an axle prevented by the carriage from turning and having a screwthread, of a wheel turnable on said axle and having a concentric channel closed at one end, a disk turnable on said wheel and adapted to cover its channel and provided with a' lug engaging therein, a helical spring in the channel of said wheel and adapted to take up the recoil. it bearing with one end against the end of the channel and with the other end against the lug of said disk, means limiting the turn of saiddisk under the action of said spring, a clutch member fast on said disk, another clutch member longitudinally movable on said axle and prevented from turning, and a hand-wheel engaging the screw-thread of said axle and adapted to move said second clutch member into and out of engagement with said first clutch member.

GEORG FALTER.

lVitnesses LOUIS VANDORY, GERTRUD BONA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

